 A
winter pregnancy
survival guide
Being pregnant in winter has its advantages, with the cooler
weather balancing out your naturally higher internal thermostat. Follow
our survival guide to keep your pregnancy safe and cosy over the winter
months.
Play it safe
During pregnancy your body changes in many ways. Pregnancy hormones affect
ligaments and joints which may make you more prone to injury and your
balance may be disturbed, especially as you get bigger.
Many winter sports should be avoided in pregnancy because they carry
the inevitable risk of direct injury to your abdomen and uterus - especially
as your uterus grows and rises out of your pelvis. These include downhill
skiing, snowboarding, hockey and sledging.
Click
here for more information on safe exercise in pregnancy.
Watch your back
Backache is more common in pregnancy because the ligaments that stabilise
our joints become softer and looser under the influence of pregnancy hormones.
During winter, the risk of ice and snow increases your chances of injuring
your back but a few precautions can help keep you safe. ·
- Wear flat, well-gripped shoes, not high heels.
- Avoid garden chores. Sweeping fallen leaves from the garden or clearing
snow from the footpath are heavy jobs that can injure your back.
- If your back is aching, a hot water bottle can be very soothing, especially
in the winter months.
Click
here to find out what else you can do for your back.
Don't get SAD
Seasonal Affective Disorder, also known as SAD, is a form of depression
caused by the reduced sunlight in winter. Symptoms tend to last from November
to March and affect four times as many women than men. There are many
symptoms associated with SAD, which can be physical or emotional. These
include:
- Physical - tiredness, lethargy, sleepiness, food cravings
and over-eating, Low sex drive, feeling the cold, muscle aches and pains
and lowered immunity.
- Emotional - social withdrawal, irritability, anxiety, poor
memory, difficulty concentrating, disinterest, hopelessness, depression
and tearfulness.
Of course, many of these symptoms could be related to the hormones that
are already in overdrive, but what can you do if you think you may be
suffering from the winter blues?
The Seasonal Affective
Disorder Association (SADA) recommends the following self-help tips.
- Keep warm
- Get up early rather than lying in bed which can increase lethargy
- Get out in the fresh air
- Eat sensibly and try to avoid sweets, chocolates and biscuits which
people with SAD selectively go for.
- Try light therapy, a specially designed box which emits the equivalent
light that you would get on a summer's day. This is not available on
the NHS but boxes start from less than £100, with several companies
offering a try before you buy scheme.
If your symptoms are more severe, treatments such as counselling and
antidepressants may help, although as with all medication during pregnancy
your GP should be consulted first and they will have to weigh up the benefits
first.
The dry skin battle
Everyone notices their skin becoming drier over the winter due to central
heating turning up and warmer clothes coming on. During pregnancy your
skin, like the rest of your body, is being influenced by hormones, making
it even more prone to dry, sensitive skin.
But cosmetologist John Hamilton says you can still have beautiful, soft
skin during pregnancy if you look after it. "A good moisturiser will do
more than anything to keep the moisture in and protect your skin from
the elements. If it contains lots of benefits like vitamins and proteins
that's even better."
Babyworld doctor Jo Lee recommends avoiding hot baths and showers as
these tend to dry skin further.
John says, "As we are all becoming too aware, creams often contain ingredients
which are said to be more drying to the skin with the possibility of causing
damage to the unborn child."
If your skin is very dry or you just want a moisture boost, John recommends
using a small amount of almond or avocado oil beneath your moisturiser.
He also warns against petro-chemicals and synthetic perfumes, especially
propylene glycol which is one of the main ingredients found in anti-freeze.
Some like it hot
A warm, deep bath is a lovely way to relax both in pregnancy and labour
but if the water is too hot, it can dry out already sensitive skin as
well as making you dizzy when you stand up.
Pregnant women are also advised to avoid saunas and hot tubs. This again
is because the heat makes your blood vessels wider which can cause fainting
and the risks associated with falling. However, babyworld Health Visitor
Hannah Hulme Hunter says that there is also some evidence that very high
body temperatures during early pregnancy may effect the development of
the baby's nervous system so it's best to avoid saunas during pregnancy.
Layer upon layer
Your body will do an excellent job of keeping your unborn baby warm no
matter what the weather but you can be more susceptible to the cold during
pregnancy, especially as your bump gets bigger and there is more surface
area for heat to be lost through. Dress properly, though, and you can
still enjoy wintry walks.
- Before leaving the house look at what other people are wearing to
get a good idea of how cold it is
- Wear layers in natural fabrics such as wool or fleece.
- Ensure your outer layer is waterproof. It doesn't matter how warmly
wrapped you are - if you're wet you're cold.
- Accessories are as important as layers. Wear gloves, hats, scarves
and warm socks.
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